Carpe Diem
by Iggy Day
Summary: Bella Swan lives in the now, doesn't have a past, doesn't have a future. She's a soul who can't be tamed. Edward Cullen has a bland past, a bland now, and a bland future, until he crosses paths with the enigma that is Bella Swan. She gives him friends, and helps him seize the day. As Edward begins to fall for Bella, she mysteriously disappears. Soon he is chasing the enigma.
1. Known World

**FULL SUMMARY: Bella Swan is an enigma. She lives in the now, doesn't have a past, doesn't have a future. She's a soul who can't be tamed. Edward Cullen has a bland past, a bland now, and a bland future. . That is, until he crosses paths with the enigma that is Bella Swan. Bella gives him friendship when he needed it. Finally Edward makes friends. All of his new friends read like an open book and don't interest him the way Bella does. All Edward knows about her is that she likes the color yellow, she sings, she reads, her birthday is on September 13****th****, and she always carries around a little secretive notebook. As Edward begins to fall for Bella, he becomes more and more confused with the enigma. Mysteriously Bella disappears. According to everyone in Forks, this is a natural occurrence and she should be back in a week. Four months later and no sign of the mysterious girl. Surprisingly, Edward doesn't hurt as much as he thought he would and is able to move on, until he gets a clue about her past from the little notebook itself. Soon he is chasing the enigma. He no longer loves just the girl who likes yellow, but now loves the hurt little girl with a past that could bring horror to even the darkest person.**

**"And I like you  
I love these roads where the houses don't change (and I like you)  
Where we can talk like there's something to say (and I like you)  
I'm glad that we stopped kissing the tar on the highway (and I like you)  
We move in the tree streets  
I'd like it if you stayed"**

**-Lorde "400 Lux"**

My life has always been average. Average friends. Average grades. Average family. It was safe. It's the complete opposite of what's expected of life in Chicago. Everyone thinks you live in the fast lane in a place like Chicago. You could, I suppose, if you were anyone except Edward Cullen.

I can count on one hand how many friends I have. Three. Three friends. I'm not the coolest guy in the world. I didn't play any sports, I didn't go to parties, and I was invisible to all the girls in school. I didn't really make the best effort to make friends, though. So when my mom told me we were moving to Forks, Washington to be closer to her family after my dad almost got shot in the line of duty, it didn't bother me much.

My dad has been a cop for as long as I can remember. He's meant for the job. He loves helping people, and would do anything to help people. Because of this he was the most respected man in Chicago, and one of the reasons why I didn't get invited to any parties. Recently he started working the night shifts with his partner Aro. They got a call at three in the morning, some woman was causing a disturbance. When they got there, the woman went nuts. She was on LCD or something, and thought Carlisle and Aro were going to eat her brains. The crack whore started shooting, and Aro jumped in front of a bullet for Carlisle.

This scared the shit out of Esme. This was the first time-surprisingly-Carlisle has ever been shot at. She knew what the job entailed, but when it stared her right in the face, she couldn't handle it. She convinced Carlisle to move the family to Forks so she could be near her mother. This was tough for Carlisle, but for me however, I was the first one to pack my bags.

I wanted a fresh start in a new place. I was tired of being dorky Edward Cullen. I was ready for a change. I was ready for the ride of a lifetime.


	2. The Call

"**Playing the wall at singles bingo  
all time gringo  
Did anyone hear me cry there  
through a toilet stall divider  
I swear I care"**

**-The Vowels, Pt. 2, "Why?"**

My family and I moved to Forks a week after school was over. I have never seen so much green in my entire life. Chicago wasn't completely made out of concrete, but this, this was insane. Everywhere you looked there was some type of vegetation. Trees, bushes, grass, flowers. Forks screamed of life despite its dreary skies and misty air.

The house I moved into was a large two-story red brick house. It was an older home, built in the 1920s. The porch was added to the front of the house, which was made out of cement and red brick. Growing off the side of the house was ivy vines with lilies blooming off of it. Around the house was more vegetation. In the middle of the yard stood the biggest tree I have ever seen in my entire life. It blocked most of the house from view from the street. The house could only be described as beautiful.

Inside the house was just as beautiful. Beautiful hardwood floors, French doors leading into the dining room, and a chandelier hanging from the hallway ceiling. "Go upstairs and pick out a room," my mom said, smiling while nudging me with her shoulder. I nodded and went upstairs.

The first bedroom was closet size. This will most likely be my mother's library. The second bedroom was massive with two closets. It had a nice view of the quiet neighborhood around us. Definitely my mother's room. The room across from the master bedroom was going to be my room. It was small, but spacious. There was a door in my room that led to the balcony. The balcony stretched across the entire back half of the house. I opened the balcony door and leaned on the railing. No one lived behind us. Behind the house was a long stretch of unclaimed land, the color green stretching as far as the eye can see. _I could get used to this _I thought. I looked to my left and saw how close my neighbor's house is to mine. If a tree wasn't in the way, I could climb over the edge of the balcony, reach out, and touch the side of my neighbor's house.

I went back inside to inspect my room. Directly across from the balcony door was my closet. It was a decent size, perfect for a teenage boy with two pairs of shoes and minimal clothing. I decided where I wanted to put my bed and desk when I glanced out the window. I could see into my neighbor's house. Inside was one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. Well, I haven't seen many girls to judge, but this girl was definitely notable. She was walking around her room, organizing her books. This girl had enough books to cause an avalanche. When she turned around, she saw me. She walked to her window, smiled, and shut her curtains closed.

I felt bad for invading her personal space, but I didn't let it bother me for too long. I went downstairs to help my parents unpack when I heard the doorbell ring. "Edward, dear, can you get that? Your father and I are carrying the couch to the basement," my mom called. Maybe it was the girl next door coming to yell at me for spying on her. I was right. Kinda.

When I opened the door, it was the girl, but she didn't look mad. She politely smiled at me and then she asked me the weirdest question. "Did you know when Mr. Rogers was at a speaking event he made the audience sit in silence for 60 seconds in order to remember the people who helped them become who they are today?"

My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "No, I didn't know that. But that's kinda cool."

"Yeah," the girl said as she leaned against my new house. "Mr. Rogers was kinda cool that way."

"Why are you telling me this?"

The girl laughed lightly. "Because we're neighbors, and there's a Mr. Rogers at the end of the block. We're living in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood! And I'm kind of a trivia junkie."

I laughed along with her. "That's clever. I bet you give him a lot of hell for having the last name Rogers."

"You bet," the girl smiled brightly. "It's only been two minutes and already you know me so well. We should be friends."

"We could be," I nodded, emphasizing each syllable of each word as I said it.

"Isabella Swan," she stuck her hand out towards me. "But I prefer Bella. Isabella is too formal. I like the color yellow, I read, I write, and my birthday is on September 13th. You?"

I started to panic slightly. This girl talked a mile a minute. What was I going to say to her when there is absolutely nothing interesting about me? "Um, I'm Edward Cullen. I don't like to be called Eddie; it's too informal. I like the color blue, I read occasionally, I moved from Chicago, and my birthday is on June 22nd." Bella pursed her lips. _Great_ I cursed myself internally. _Already boring her._

Suddenly Bella's smile was back in place. "I want to get to know you more. You should come hang out with my friends and I. We're heading out to La Push beach."

I swallowed hard. I'm already surprising myself with how easy it is to talk to this girl. Normally I stutter when I talk to people. I feel like I'm walking on egg shells around this girl, I don't want to make her think I'm weird. Imagine how I'd act around more people. "Uh, no thanks. I'm going to stay and help my parents unpack and get settled."

"I can help you with that!" Bella offered.

I shook my head. "Again, no thanks. I wouldn't ask that of you."

"It's really no problem."

"Bella," her name practically rolled off my tongue. "I want to be friends, but honestly I would feel more comfortable if the house was settled before I hang out with you or anyone else."

"Ah," she said easily. "So you're one of those control freaks who stress out when the world is out of order."

"I am not!" I argued. Bella rolled her eyes, but continued to smile. "I would feel bad if I abandoned my family when there's so much work to do. My mom is helping my dad carry a couch downstairs, for God's sake. I'm already a horrible son."

"Oh no!" Bella exclaimed dramatically while throwing her arm over her forehead. "You won't win the son of the year award!" Bella giggled at herself, and I couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she laughed. Her eyes crinkled in the cutest way. "But I understand. Maybe some other day?"

"Definitely," I agreed. She waved at me as she walked down the street. As soon as she was out of sight, I closed the door and went back inside. I helped my parents put furniture in its right place, and then joined them for a dinner of pizza and a liter of soda. My parents went to bed early that night after a long day of work. I was just turning the lights off in the living room when I heard laughing outside. I looked out the window and saw Bella getting a piggy back ride from a massive guy with curly dark hair. Her and her friends must have just gotten back from the beach.

They were all laughing and screaming, and having a great time. I began to feel a hole form in the pit of my stomach. I was jealous. I wanted to be happy and carefree like them. I knew I could be out there having a great time right now if I would have said yes to Bella's offer. Hopefully she'll offer to hang out again. I went up to my bedroom feeling lonely and full of regret.


	3. The Threshold

"**Maybe I should cry for help  
Maybe I should kill myself (myself)  
Blame it on my A.D.D. baby**

Maybe I'm a different breed  
Maybe I'm not listening  
So blame it on my A.D.D. baby"

**-****AWOLNATION, "Sail"**

The next week consisted of unpacking, moving in, and staring out my window at my new neighbor Bella Swan, or in recent days, I like to refer to her as the enigma. I can't figure her out. She's so different from anyone I've ever known.

She's only home when she's asleep even though her room looks lived in. It has her entire life, but she never lives in it. Her room is covered ceiling to floor with books. Clothes are thrown around. Makeup strewn across her desk. The only thing that is neat in her room is her bed because she's hardly ever in it. Sometimes she sleeps in her chair, other times on the floor.

I often wonder where she goes during the day. I noticed that most of the time when she's gone, she's not with her friends. Either she has friends I don't know about-most likely-or she's going out alone. Why is she never home? Is she running away from something? Does she have a job somewhere? Does she have a secret boyfriend? This girl's simple existence does nothing but complicate mine.

I have nothing better to do with my life so I've taken to obsessing over the beautiful, enigmatic girl next door. It feels kind of like I'm obsessing over a celebrity. I want to know everything about her. There's something about her personality that seems to draw everyone in.

My mom met her a day after I did. Already my mom is trying to get me to hang out with Bella. My mom adores Bella. She thinks Bella is a smart and funny girl, and a potential good influence on me. I can't really argue with her on that.

"Edward, you have to live your life," my mom's voice rang through my ears. "You can't just sit around here all summer and rot. There's a perfectly nice girl next door who would love to be friends with you. We live in Forks. It's not like Chicago where I had to worry about you. How bad can Forks be?"

I rolled my eyes at my mom's words. She means well, no matter how embarrassing it is to have your mother try to make friends for you. My thoughts were distracted by Bella's voice.

"I'll do my hair up all high and wide, wild flowers tied Green swimming pool pink flamingos, high Christmas lights Blue bedspread and silver tinsel, my hearts delight," she sang. "Don't ya wanna come to my motel honey? Don't ya wanna hold me down, tell me that you love me? Don't ya know that I have really never loved nobody, but you?"

She can sing. Add that to the list of things that makes her awesome. I leaned on the window sill to get closer. Bella turned around and saw me watching her. I swallowed hard as she walked to her window and stuck her head outside. "Hey!"

"Hey," I replied.

Bella smiled. "How's the house coming along?"

"Everything's in order," I said while scratching the back of my head.

"Did you rethink my offer to hang out?"

"Yeah," I smiled, glad that the offer was still out there. "Wanna hang out tomorrow?"

**From here chapters will start to get longer. The story is about to begin.**


End file.
